Electric switch.



No. 729,503. PATENTED MAY 26, 1903.

I T. MULLER & c. 0. THOMPSON.

ELECTRIC SWITCH.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 19, 1pm.

10 KODBL.

[72 7/672 tors." MZWJJZZS. Taye/Vuller arm? I I fifiazZea 0. Hwy 9502a,9 g; g 3 aewjzgorm UNITED STATES PATENT IPatented May 26, 1903.

OFFICE.

TAGE MULLER AND CHARLES O. THOMPSON, OF NEV YORK, N. Y.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 729,503, dated. May 26,1903. Application filed November 19,1902." Serial No. 131,970; (Nomodel.)

To all whom it may'ooncern: 7 Be it known that we, TAGE MULLER andCHARLES O. THOMPSON, citizens of the Uni ed States, and residents of NewYork,in the county of New York and State of New York, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Electric Switches, of which thefollowing is a specification.

Our invention relates generally to electric switches, and has moreparticularly reference to switches in which a fluid-pressure is utilizedto open and close the same.

The object of our invention is to produce a switch in which themake-and-break action is practically instantaneous.

To this end our invention consists of the features of construction andarrangement of parts, as will be more fully hereinafter described.

lVe shall describe an electric switch embodying our invention, andafterward point out the novel features in the claims.

In the said drawings, Figure 1. represents a sectional view through thesleeve in'which the fluid-actuated. member works, the ele-. mentslocated adjacent to the switch part e proper being shown in sideelevation, the

switch being shown in its closed position. Fig. 2 is a plan view ofFig. 1. Fig. 3 is a view of the parts located adjacent to the switchproper, as shown in Fig. 1, it beingshown in this instance, however, inits open position.

It will be understood, of course, that we do not limit ourselves to theexact construction shown herein, but that changes may be made 1 thereception of the pin h of the actuating within the scope of the claims.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in thedifferent views.

A represents the sleeve in which the fiuid actuated member works. Thissleeve is provided at its lower end with a threaded portion a, adaptedto engage with the part b of the coupling B, adapted to support theinflatable diaphragm Q in a well-known manner by means of the contiguousflanges b on the parts I) and Z) of the said coupling. The part b is incommunication with a source of supply of compressed air or other fluidwhich acts upon the diaphragm and by its fluctuations in pressureactuates the reciprocating fluidactuated member I). This member is com-'A. The tension of the spring (1 is increased or decreased by means ofthe nut cl, which engages the thread a of the sleeve A. By this meansthe pressure at which the switch works is regulated. It will also benoticed that an adjustment can be obtained by means of the thread aengaging with the part b of the coupling B, the set-screws b beingprovided for the purpose of securing the said sleeve A in position afterit has been adjusted.

Upon the upper end of the sleeve A is a platform E, through which thestem d protrudes, the said stem being made square in cross-section, soas to prevent it from turning when the parts are assembled or takenapart. Upon this platform there are located the stationary electrode Fand the movable electrode G. Each of these electrodes is provided :witha binding-post, respectively, f and g, while they are properly insulatedfrom each other bymeans of the piece of hard rubber e, The movableelectrode G is in the form of an arm pivoted at one end at the point onthe bracket 9 The movable electrode G is further provided with anadjustably-set slotted member 9 adapted to member H. The member 9 isadjusted by means of the screws g and g and the slot 12 shaped like aparallelogram with one side missing, thetwo longer sides if beingpivoted on a bracket 71%. The upper end of the stem d carries an arm (1extending toward and in between the two arms of the bracket h and beyondthe point where the two arms h are pivoted on the said bracket h. On theouter end of said arm (Z there is fastened one end of a sprin I, theother end of which is fastened on the short sideh of the actuatingmember H. The arm (Z also acts as a This said actuating member H is madeconveniently in the form of a framework 71 stop to limit the downwardmovement of the plunger with reference to the diaphragm.

It will now be understood that when the I switch is in its closedposition, as shown in Fig.

1, and the air-pressure then increases sufficiently to operate thefluid-actuated member D, the same will rise, thereby carrying with itthe arm d That end i of the spring I which is located beyond the pointwhere the two arms h are pivoted and also below the said point will thenbe raised gradually with the stem (1 and the arm (Z W hen the said endt" is raised up to a point where it will be above the point where thetwo arms h are pivoted, the spring I, acting continuously in thedirection of the said end L", will pull the frame 77, up, whereby thepin h will contact with the upper portion of the slot g, thus raisingthe movable electrode and breaking the circuit. It will be understoodthat the action of the spring I will move the frame 7L2 up or downaccording to the position of the end '2" with relation to the pointwhere the arms h are pivoted, and it will further be understood that theaction in either direction will be practically instantaneous the momentthe said end 1 passes the point at which the arms h are pivoted ineither direction. It is apparent that the end 2" must be located beyondthe point where the arms h3 are pivoted in the horizontal plane or elseit would not work. Undue action is prevented by the stop h, againstwhich a portion of one of the arms 7L3 rests when in the open position.

The spring I will hold the movable electrode in its open position untilthe pressure decreases to a point where the end 1' passes below thepivotal center of the actuating member H, when the switch will be closedby the action of the spring and by gravity.

In Fig. 1 the plunger (1 is shown resting upon the diaphragm O. \Vhenthe sleeve is adj usted with relation to the coupling B so that theplunger is out of contact with the diaphragm when the latter iscollapsed, it will take a longer time before the said diaphragm operatesthe reciprocating member, and hence the period elapsing before the breakoccurs will be lengthened, or the switch will break at a higherpressure, as the pump which the switch controls would have a longer timeto operate in. By reversing the adj ustment the opposite effect will ofcourse be produced. From this it is evident that it is possible toregulate the pressure at which the switch will work at two points, viz:by regulating the tension of the coiled spring and by regulating therelative lowermost position of the plunger with regard to the diaphragm.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim is 1. In an electricswitch, the combination with the movable electrode pivoted at one end,of a reciprocating fluid-actuated member, an actuating member foroperating the movable electrode loosely pivoted, and a spring connectedat one end with the actuating member, and at its other end with thereciprocating fluid-actuated member at a point beyond the pivotal centerof the actuating member. a

2. In an electric switch, the combination with the movable electrodepivoted at one end, of a reciprocating fluid-actuated member, anactuating member for operating the movable electrode loosely pivoted, anarm carried by the reciprocating fluid-actuated member extending to apoint beyond the pivotal center of the actuating member, and a springconnected at one end with the actuating member, and at its other endwith the arm of the reciprocating fluid-actuated member at a pointbeyond the pivotal center of the said actuating member.

In an electric switch, the combination with the movable electrodepivoted at one end, of a reciprocating fluid-actuated member, anactuating member for operating the movable electrode loosely pivoted, aspring connected at one end with the actuating member, and at its otherend with the reciprocating fluid-actuated member at a point beyond thepivotal center of the actuating member, a slot on the movable electrode,and a pin on the actuating member extending into the said slot.

4. In an electric switch, the combination with the movable electrodepivoted at one end, of a reciprocating fluid-actuated member, anactuating member for operating the movable electrode loosely pivoted, anarm carried by the reciprocating fiuid-actuated member extending to apoint beyond the pivotal center of the actuating member, a springconnected at one end with the actuating member, and at its other endwith the arm of the reciprocating fluid-actuated member at a,

point beyond the pivotal center of the said actuating member, a slot onthe movable electrode, and a pin on the actuating member extending intothe said slot.

5. In an electric switch, the combination with the movable electrodepivoted at one end, of a reciprocating fluid-actuated member, anactuating member for operating the movable electrode loosely pivoted, aspring connected at one end with the actuating member, and at its otherend with the reciprocating fluidactuated member at a point beyond thepivotal center of the actuating member, an ad justablc member having aslot on the movable electrode, and a pin on the actuating memberextending into the said slot.

6. In an electric switch, the combination with the movable electrodepivoted at one end, of a reciprocating fluid-actuated member, anactuating member for operating the movable electrode loosely pivoted, anarm carried by the reciprocating fluid-actuated member extending to apoint beyond the pivotal center of the actuating member, a springconnected at one end with the actuating member, and its other end withthe arm of the reciprocating fluid-actuated member at a point beyond theICC pivotal center of the said actuating member, an adjustable memberhaving a slot 011 the movable electrode, and a pin on the actuatingmember extending into the said slot.

7. In an electric switch, the combination with an inflatable diaphragmof a reciprocating member for operating the switch, adapted to beactuated by the diaphragm, and means for adjusting the position of thereciprocating member so as to be in contact or out of contact with thesaid diaphragm when the latter is collapsed, whereby the length of timenecessary for the break is shortened or lengthened, thereby decreasingor increasing the pressure at which the switch breaks.

8. In an electric switch, the combination with an inflatable diaphragm,of a reciprocating member carrying means for operating the switch,adapted to be actuated by the diaphragm, and means for adjusting theposition of the reciprocating member so as to be in contact or out ofcontact with the diaphragm when the latter is collapsed, whereby thetime necessary for the break is shortened or lengthened, thereby varyingthe pressure at which the switch operates.

9. In an electric switch, the combination with an inflatable diaphragmof a coupling supporting said diaphragm, a reciprocating member, whichoperates the switch, adapted to be actuated by the diaphragm, a sleeveinclosing said reciprocating member, a spring acting on thereciprocating member in the direction of the diaphragm, a stop limitingthe movement of the reciprocating member in the same direction, andthreads on the coupling and sleeve whereby the said coupling and sleeveare attached to each other and whereby the position of the reciprocatingmember relative to the diaphragm is varied.

10. In an electric switch, the combination of asleeve, a fluid-actuatedmember adapted to work in said sleeve, a spring surrounding saidfluid-actuated member to regulate the pressure of same, a loose sleevehaving means for pressing upon the spring fitting loosely 011 theoutside of the first-mentioned sleeve, and a nut having threadedengagement with the first-mentioned sleeve for regulating the positionof the loosely-fitting sleeve.

Signed at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York,this 14th day of July, A. D. 1902.

TAGE MULLER. CHARLES O. THOMPSON.

Witnesses:

WILLIAM R. DORMAN, AXEL V. BEEKER.

